How sacred is your good name? Affecting
up to a half-million victims a year, identity theft can cost you
years of lost wages and frustration in telephone calls to check
verification companies, creditors, and credit bureaus. Most likely,
you will foot the bill.

QUIZ:
How safe is your identity? Don't think identity theft can't
happen to you. Just how smart are you with critical slips of paper
and credit card receipts? Find out by taking this quiz.

Fed
to banks: Take basic steps to stop identity theft
The Fed's supervisory letter on identity theft and pretext calling
recommends what banks should do to combat identity theft and invasions
of privacy. The document makes you wonder just how much common sense
bank employees have.

New
safeguards for your credit card numberLosing a credit card receipt with your full account
number and expiration date on it can be just as hazardous to your
financial health as losing a credit card. Anyone who picks up the
stray receipt can pretty much go on a shopping spree.